Cooking Bacon In A Truck

So I'm back on the road after some much-needed home time last week, and while I was there I had the shop install a 1500w power inverter so I could finally bring some cooking appliances with me. Cold sandwiches and fast food was getting kind of old.

I picked up a $10 crock pot and a $20 electric skillet from Wally World, and brought an old small microwave from the garage. For the crockpot I packed some canned chicken and beef as well as cans of tomatoes, mushrooms, corn, some fresh diced carrots, spices, broths, etc. For the microwave I got some frozen burritos. And for the skillet I picked up some bacon, eggs, sliced cheese and bagels to make breakfast sandwiches.

Well, this morning was my first experiment with truck cooking. I unpacked the skillet, wiped it down, set it on the floor by my bed and fired it up. Then when it was hot, I threw on the bacon. I felt like Michael Scott from The Office, cooking bacon right next to my bed. Luckily I did not burn my foot.

So it turns out that the odor of bacon will quickly fill up a small truck cabin and permeate every single surface. I opened the windows and turned on my fan while it was cooking, but even those measures had little effect. I probably should have stopped at that point, but I was hungry, in a rush, and a little lazy, so I kept at it.

After adding a couple of fried eggs to the skillet, I removed everything to a plate and slapped the bagel halves down to soak up the leftover grease and get nice and toasty. Then I melted the cheese over them and had the best road breakfast I've had yet.

But that smell was literally with me for half the day. Even with everything open and blowing through the entire cabin, I could still smell the bacon hours after eating it.

The moral of this story is that from now on, I'm going to hook up my extension cord to my inverter and cook bacon outside the truck. If I keep cooking inside, I can only imagine the greasy film that would accumulate over everything after a while.

I cook bacon in large batches in the oven at home. It generally keeps in the fridge for about 2 weeks after it's cooked. I drain off the bacon grease into a Mason jar or grease keeper (strain it first) and use it for cooking.

The great double up (let nothing go to waste) ... bacon to enjoy and the bacon flavored grease to cook with later. Best way to have fresh green beans, tablespoon of bacon grease, garlic bits, diced onion and saute. Yum!

For those Crock Pots in Winter, try these new Campbell's Slow Cooker packets Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauces Tavern Style Pot Roast

They also have Beef Stew (add Beef & Veg), Apple Bourbon Pulled Pork BBQ (add Pork) & they also do Skillet Sauces for those electric skillets. Have not tried yet since I got hooked on the Pot Roast (5 times this past winter at home).

Use the disposable Slow Cooker bags for easy clean up afterwards, just place a 3lbs. Chuck Roast, pour packet over it, put cover on and set it for 10 hours on low ... smell is amazing and the taste is real good. Don't be afraid of that 3 lbs piece of roast, after cooking it, it'll be about 2 lbs. with sauce when done. Pop a 60 second microwave bag of Uncle Ben's RIce or those Microwavable Baked Potatoes to go with it and you're styling for dinner.

Brett try that cottage cheese with pepper and sour cream and onion chips

That's interesting! I've used it as a base to mix in diced tomatoes, jalapenos, and onions. It's good like that too. We're talking about cottage cheese, they're talking about bacon.

Oh, I thought we were using the bacon to dip in with...

Who wouldn't want to smell bacon all day? Yum! Grease can go up with steam and smoke in such small amounts that you can't fathom it but, it's sticks to everything hence bacon truck. There's an air freshener brand called pure citrus (all it is is citrus oils and no chemical bs) that'll take the smell out if it still lingers but, definitely cook outside. Fresh air and bacon? Yes please.

Dude, it's bacon. Just live with the bacony goodness that is bacon. Tell me where you're at, I'll let you cook bacon in my truck lol.

Yes, yes, I know I'm being foolish for complaining about bacon, but when you've spent the better part of 3 years cooking it day in and day out I'm a restaurant, then cleaning the griddles, the grease traps and the air filters, you get a slightly different appreciation for the aroma...

Yes, yes, I know I'm being foolish for complaining about bacon, but when you've spent the better part of 3 years cooking it day in and day out I'm a restaurant, then cleaning the griddles, the grease traps and the air filters, you get a slightly different appreciation for the aroma...

"IN a restaurant..."

Why not get the pre-cooked bacon you can toss in the microwave? I eat it all the time and it's quick, 30sec's and wont smell up the truck. Plus it would be a lot safer. They also make pre-cooked sausage you can pick up for 1.00 for a package of 8.

Why not get the pre-cooked bacon you can toss in the microwave? I eat it all the time and it's quick, 30sec's and wont smell up the truck. Plus it would be a lot safer. They also make pre-cooked sausage you can pick up for 1.00 for a package of 8.

Jason, this is completely unacceptable. For to truly enjoy bacon, you must have the bacon smell. The smell that will attract truckers and feral dogs like ants to a picnic. That my friend, is the legacy of bacon.

Why not get the pre-cooked bacon you can toss in the microwave? I eat it all the time and it's quick, 30sec's and wont smell up the truck. Plus it would be a lot safer. They also make pre-cooked sausage you can pick up for 1.00 for a package of 8.

Three reasons why I can't do that:

1. Ewwww.

2. I wouldn't be able to cook my eggs and toast my bagel in the yummy bacon grease.

3. Eeeewwwwwwwwww.

I cook bacon in large batches in the oven at home. It generally keeps in the fridge for about 2 weeks after it's cooked. I drain off the bacon grease into a Mason jar or grease keeper (strain it first) and use it for cooking.

Ummmmmm bacon hotdogs. Yummmmmmm